


Just a Moment

by SonjaJade



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-15
Updated: 2012-06-15
Packaged: 2017-11-07 19:40:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/434648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonjaJade/pseuds/SonjaJade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was only a breath… a single glimpse of time between when his heavy footsteps stopped, his heavy hand came down on her shoulder, and his heavy words floated to her ear... set during Rukia's transfer to the Repentance Cell.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Moment

***I don't own Bleach or any of the characters within***

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A/N: This is my first Bleach fic (wow! stepping into new fandoms all over the place!) so please tell me if I've screwed up (I'm only on episode 37 or so of Bleach as of post date). BTW, this is set during ep. 23 when Rukia is transferred to the Repentance Cell.

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It was only a breath… a single glimpse of time between when his heavy footsteps stopped, his heavy hand came down on her shoulder, and his heavy words floated to her ear; words that were cold and sharp as barbs on a fishing lure. But that breath had been warm, reminiscent of better times despite being full of pain and guilt… and Rukia felt a pang in her gut for her longtime friend. How she longed to turn and hug him tight to her then, to offer him comfort as much to receive it, like when they were orphans out on the street.

She could feel his body heat through the yukata she wore. He fit himself behind her the same way he had the night he told her loved her, the night he relieved them of their virginity. The memory of that night flew across her mind's eye, briefly reliving that happier time. She could remember the heat of the night and the heat between them, the smell of rain on the horizon and the feel of dewy grass pressed cool against her back. His eyes were soft on her then, full of passion and adoration, nothing like the look he'd been giving her recently…

Rukia couldn't bring herself to turn her eyes to him, too afraid that she would crumble under that intense stare she knew he was wearing. She wouldn't let him see her own violet eyes… She didn't want him to know how weak she really was, how close she was to begging for him to save her, to do _something_. She didn't want to ruin his perception of her. Nonetheless, she really wished he would have wrapped his arms around her instead of clamping down hurtfully on her shoulder…

* * *

It was just a moment, a blink between reaching her and then grabbing her. Renji could feel her tremble so imperceptibly. He knew she was strong, but he wondered if she could handle this… He couldn't say anything to her to comfort her, could do nothing to make her feel any less afraid of the execution she was facing. He swallowed and stepped so close to her that his chest was against her back. He knew she would get the significance of this, his only wordless way of telling her that despite the fact they now found each other on opposite sides of the prison doors that he still loved her. Though his voice was rough and his words were hard, he had to offer her some kind of hope with the knowledge of Ichigo's arrival. If the orange haired punk somehow managed to survive the onslaught of the lieutenants and captains then maybe, _just maybe_ , she'd be able to make it out of here alive.

God, how he wanted to be able to rescue her himself. He wanted to be the one to take her from here and run away and leave that bastard Byakuya to deal with the aftermath of losing his adopted sister (more like bought, and treated as such…). His heart ached at the thought of watching Rukia's head roll, and he only hoped that his captain wouldn't require him to be among those in the front when her execution took place.

Having given her the information he hoped would comfort her and provide her some hope, he had to turn and walk away… He pivoted on the ball of his foot and stomped off, ignoring the voice in his head that screamed for him to take her with him and fight his way out of here… It was the hardest single motion he'd ever had to do. The effort that it took to turn and take that first step could have moved mountains.

* * *

Rukia fought the urge to scream out "Don't go!" She wanted to fall to her knees and cry, beg for her life, beg for any other sentence than execution. But she didn't. The control it took to keep her tongue still could have stilled the breezes and the tides and the rotation of the earth itself.

* * *

They neither one were happy at all with parting from each other, but such was the way of the world at that time, given their respective positions. But they both thought of that single blip of emotion between them, that single glimpse of their deep connection. However, Rukia didn't cry over it, and Renji disregarded it after a quiet sigh.

After all, it was only a moment.


End file.
